


Rainy Love

by Rainaling



Category: Persona 5
Genre: And mayhaps shuharu????, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Fluff, I am now shuake trash, So I uh don't ship shumako anymore, This was finished so long ago
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29504199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainaling/pseuds/Rainaling
Summary: On a particularly rainy day in summer, Ren and Makoto gets to spend some time together.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist
Kudos: 15





	Rainy Love

**Author's Note:**

> yet another cross-posted fic ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿  
> i wrote this when i was still like on futaba's palace sooo uh.  
> now that i finished the game (and watched royal's playthrough because im broke) i,, sorry,,i don't ship shumako anymore. i am now a typical sobbing-over-2/2 shuake/akeshu trash  
> but i still think this oneshot was sweet so ( ᐛ )  
> (i also kind of ship shuharu??? mayhaps?? maybe?? IDK UUUH)  
> enjoy!

It was another one of those afternoons, where Makoto would find herself fiddling with her short brown hair as her red eyes scanned across the bookshelves of Shujin’s library. The AC would be pumping at full power and the curtains were pulled down, the scorching summer sunlight seeping through the windows and burning the floor with its hotness. Only a few people roamed around the shelves, their hair pulled up and their jackets resting on the chairs, soft murmurs and complaints under their breaths about the summer heat.

  
  


A small sigh left Makoto’s lips as she sank back down into her chair. The librarian was missing from her job again today, and everyone in the library was either looking at their phones or sleeping on the tables, giving Makoto no other choice but to just continue searching for that seemingly missing math book. She played with her pen out of habit, trying not to show the impatience on her features. She must do something about the librarian soon: a student missing from her job is not acceptable.  
  
  
Suddenly determined at the thought of someone doing not so much of a good job as her, Makoto let herself look through the shelves one last time, her eyes sweeping across every row of the shelves. A squeak on the library door told her that someone just came in, but she paid it no mind, all of her focus casted on finding the book. It has to be somewhere — she remembered flipping through it just yesterday.  
  
  
She let out a quiet, happy squeal as her eyes finally landed on the covers she was searching for, resting at the highest row to the shelf at the very back. Immediately, Makoto found herself jumping out of the chair and skipping towards the math book, her brain practically singing in success.  
  
  
Yet as soon as she approached the shelf, a problem dawned onto her: the book was way to high for her to reach. Standing on tiptoes, she stretched her tiny arms up as much as possible, but the book still seemed so far away. Makoto silently cursed at just how short she was: it’s been a constant problem for a seventeen-year-old like her.  
  
  
Refusing to show vulnerability in public so easily, Makoto grumbled quietly, and tried for a little jump - which, as it turns out, was a bad idea. With her right arm outstretched and her entire body focused on the book, Makoto felt herself losing her balance as she landed back into her feet. Panic seized her immediately: she was going to fall, everyone will look at her and judge her, she’ll be a mess, it’s going to hurt...the ground was getting closer and she closed her eyes in anticipation, unable to stop herself from falling. Her shoes were slipping, her hair flying, her eyes darting around. They will all look at her with that weird look in their eyes, she’ll be made fun of, it’s seriously going to hurt if she hits the library floor directly, what will she do, what will she—  
  
  
A pair of warm and strong hands caught her shoulders steadily, giving Makoto a chance to regain her balance. Stumbling back onto her feet, she raised her head to thank whoever that helped her out — and froze.  
  
  
In front of him stood Ren Amamiya, his round grey eyes shining through his glasses, an extra white jacket around his shoulders, his unkept, voluminous hair messy as always. His arm was stretched upwards, reaching for something, his focus casted entirely on that task at hand. Makoto felt her heart stop as she noticed his other arm wrapped around her protectively, his soft fingers resting gently on her shoulder.  
  
  
“R-Ren!” Makoto stammered. “I- um, thank you-“  
  
  
“Here.” Ren responded as he handed over the math book Makoto had been trying to reach for. “This is what you wanted, right?”  
  
  
_Regain your composure. Keep it together._ “Y-yes, thank you.” Makoto tried to summon back her professional student council president voice, but for once, it didn’t seem to work. She swallowed nervously. _Why does she have to be so out of character whenever_ he’s _around?_  
  
  
Ren took his arm away from her shoulder, immediately washing a wave of disappointment over her. “It’s no problem.” He grinned at her, warming Makoto’s cheeks slightly. “I was here to ask if you could help me study. I guess you’re busy? That’s fine, I can ask someone else for help.” Ren took a slight step back, almost ready to leave.  
  
  
“Oh! No, no, I have time—“ Makoto blurted out, not wanting Ren to leave her. “I- I can make some time for you.”  
  
  
Ren’s face lightened up and his eyes glinted softly behind those glasses. “Oh, really? Thanks, Makoto.”  
  
  
“D-don’t worry about it.” Makoto wished she could hide her blushing face behind her bangs. “A-anyway—“ She walked around Ren and escaped towards the tables, folding her skirt underneath her as she sat down. “What do you want to study with me today?”

  
  
-  
  


As Makoto helped Ren with the questions, she found herself having trouble focusing. She kept getting distracted by those bright and understanding eyes, that soft and patient smile, how he gently bites his lips when working, and the way he moves his pen across the pages with his fingers, the way he writes his name, stroke after stroke. _Ren Amamiya._ She stared at the name, wandering where he had gotten that. _A lotus in the rain._ She couldn’t contain a tiny smile that broke her lips. It sounded so…. _Ren._  
  
  
“Makoto?” His deep voice broke her from her thoughts, snapping her head up. “Are you alright?” A frown now paints Ren’s face, concern latched onto his features. “You’ve been distracted lately, is everything okay?”  
  
  
“Oh, y-yes, of course.” Makoto coughed as she regained her attitude. “I’m sorry about that. I find it hard to focus sometimes these days. I find myself often thinking about the Metaverse and all…” _Nice lie, Niijima._  
  
  
“The Metaverse?” That frown was replaced by a pure, beautiful smile. “Hmm. I’ve been thinking, too.”  
  
  
“R-right.” Makoto tried to hide her blush yet again, with no success. _Why does he have to be so charming all the time?_ “Let’s get back to studying, alright?”

  
  
-  
  


“It’s getting late, we should head back.” Makoto announced as she closed her notebook with a soft _pluck._ “The library will be closing soon.”  
  
  
“Of course. Thanks again for your help, Makoto.” Ren stood up and gently pulled his bag onto his shoulders, careful not to wake the sleeping Morgana inside. “I really appreciate it. How could I survive exams without you?”  
  
  
“It’s no problem to help out our leader.” Makoto found herself smiling brightly. “Please feel free to ask me again.”  
  
  
“Sure thing.” Ren nodded, returning the smile. He lended Makoto a hand as she stood up. She took it, trying not to look embarrassed.  
  
  
“Th-thank you.” She brushed a strand of brown hair behind her ears shyly. “Let’s get going.”  
  
  
Ren nodded as they began walking towards the library door. 

  
  
-  
  


“It’s raining...” Makoto realized as she stepped out Shujin’s front door. Rainwater was everywhere, the rain pouring down mercilessly from the heavens. Grey clouds were everywhere in the horizon. It doesn’t look like it will let up soon. Makoto heaved a sigh. She had forgotten to bring an umbrella today...  
  
  
“Do you have an umbrella?” Ren asked kindly, pulling his own out of his bag. Makoto swore it’s like he could read people’s minds at times.  
  
  
“Oh, no, unfortunately...” Makoto sighed. “That’s quite alright. I’ll just—“  
  
  
“I can walk you to the station.” Ren interrupted. “I don’t want you getting wet.” He gazed down at her warmly, sending a wave of heat through Makoto despite the humid weather.  
  
  
“That’s— that’s kind of you, Amamiya-kun.” Makoto tried for a polite smile. “If you don’t mind?” She awkwardly stepped closer to Ren.  
  
  
“Of course not.” Ren grinned as he opened the umbrella, taking Makoto in. “Let’s go.”  
  
  
The walk to the station wasn’t as awkward Makoto had imagined. Ren walked at a slow pace, enough for Makoto’s short legs to catch up. The umbrella was small, yet Ren still managed to keep both of them under it. The splatters of the rain were soothing, and with Ren’s tall and warm figure next to her, Makoto felt incredibly safe. She found herself leaning into the second-year constantly.  
  
  
“Rainy weathers are so annoying...” Makoto muttered softly, staring at the wet road before them. Her socks were already wet in her shoes.  
  
  
“It makes it easier to study and focus, though.” Ren said with a smiley tone. “Don’t you agree?”  
  
  
“Mm.” Makoto nodded. It does make it easier to focus, but with the conditions they’re under right now, it didn’t really seem to help.  
  
  
Ren chuckled lightly and continued on. Morgana yawned inside his bag, still oblivious of everything that’s going on.  
  
  
The station was, unfortunately, packed with people, even more than usual. Old workers slumped all around, their suits wet and tight, making Makoto frown in disgust.  
  
  
“It’s packed...” Ren sighed. “Makoto, why don’t you take a taxi home instead?”  
  
  
“Oh!” Makoto turned her head towards the younger student. “W-why is that, Ren-kun?”  
  
  
“It’s so full of people.” Ren lead them under a roof, closing the umbrella. With a pang of guilt, Makoto found herself completely dry, but Ren seemed to be covered by rain, his hair damp. “I think you’d prefer riding a taxi back home.”  
  
  
“That’s very nice of you, Ren-kun.” Makoto smiled politely again. “I...I think I’ll take that suggestion.”  
  
  
“Great.” Ren beamed down at her, and fished his phone out of his pockets, typing away. Makoto tilted her head to the side, wondering what he was doing.  
  
  
“I ordered a taxi for you.” Ren stuffed his phone inside his pockets again, shaking his head slightly to get some rainwater out of his hair.  
  
  
“Wait-R-Ren! There’s no need...” Makoto scolded him internally for his kindness. She felt herself blushing again.  
  
  
“Nah, you helped me study, after all, so it’s on me.” Ren smiled that beautiful smile again, setting Makoto’s heart on fire. “Please. It’s alright. There’s no need to pay me back or anything.”  
  
  
“You’re too kind, Ren-kun.” Makoto bowed politely. “Thank you.”  
  
  
“Hey, it’s alright.” Ren scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “It’s fine, really. You help me out all the time, it’s time for me to help you out. I’ll take the train and you can take the taxi.”  
  
  
Makoto muttered another few “thank you”s quietly, wishing that the rainwater could cover up her heated face.  
  
  
Ren had said that the taxi will arrive in around ten minutes or so, and as they waited, Makoto found herself thinking about the Metaverse, for real this time. She wondered why their outfits change, why their voices deepen, wondered about Mona’s real form, and wondered about Haru’s father’s mysterious death. There are so many questions to be answered about that other universe, and she wanted to know the answer to it all.  
  
  
Before long her thoughts were interrupted as she realized how cold it was. Makoto found herself shivering silently, her arms wrapped around each other for warmth. She looked at her phone for the time, only to be disappointed to find yet still six minutes remaining.  
  
  
Then before she knew it, a warm jacket was placed on her shoulders, lighting up her numb veins again. It smelled incredibly nice, like a mixture coffee brewing in the morning jasmine blooming in the spring. She snapped her head up in surprise, finding Ren wearing his plain white Shujin t-shirt, his extra jacket now on Makoto’s shoulders.  
  
  
“Ren-kun, you don’t—“ Makoto began hastily.  
  
  
“I’m not cold, it’s alright.” Ren smiled down at her yet again, and immediately, all the coldness Makoto felt just now disappeared right into thin air. Makoto wondered, embarrassingly, why Ren was treating her so well today. 

  
  
-  
  


After a while, a honk lit the air as an orange taxi revealed itself from behind the rain. Makoto and Ren exchanged a few glances as Ren nodded. “This is the one.” He said as he passed the umbrella in his hands over. “There, take this. You can just return it to me tomorrow at school. We’re going to Mementos tomorrow anyway.”  
  
  
Makoto hesitantly accepted the umbrella, before bowing deeply in thanks. “You’re too kind, Ren-kun.” She repeated again, trying her best not to make her voice shake in embarrassment.  
  
  
“Nah, it’s no problem.” Ren beamed down at her. “Also, you can keep the jacket. I don’t—“  
  
  
“Oh, no no!” Makoto interrupted the second-year hurriedly. “I—um—my sister doesn’t really—“  
  
  
A realization dawned into Ren’s face as he closed his eyes in understanding. “That’s fine.” He opened them again, sending a tiny shiver down Makoto as those huge, glittering eyes landed on her once more. “If you don’t mind?” He reached his hands towards the girl’s shoulder.  
  
  
Pressing her lips together nervously, Makoto shrugged the warm jacket off as Ren took it in his hands again. “Well, I’ll be seeing you.” She smiled softly at the fellow student, before opening the umbrella and marching off to the taxi, feeling the rainwater splash under her as she made her way there.  
  
  
Carefully she informed the driver her address, and looked out the window in instinct. There stood Ren, well under the rain, his fake glasses in his hands as he waved Makoto goodbye. Shyly Makoto waved back, and as the taxi started off the road, she buried her face in her hands with another happy, delighted squeal.

**Author's Note:**

> so did you get diabetes  
>  ~~this is so cliche ajlkAJSKFG~~  
>  -kudos and comments give me the motivation to save up money to buy strikers thank you  
> -have a nice day you're the best


End file.
